In a crowded NYC mayoral debate, Cuomo faces attacks from all sides

New York City mayoral contention front-runner Andrew Cuomo was forced to fend disconnected a volley of attacks from his Democratic superior rivals successful a statement Wednesday, with his opponents unleashing pent up barbs astatine the erstwhile politician successful an effort to ace his lead.

Cuomo was connected the antiaircraft from the opening bell.

From a crowded stage, Cuomo's opponents swiped astatine him implicit the intersexual harassment ungraded that forced him from the governor's mansion, his coronavirus effect and the national probe into whether helium lied to Congress astir his handling of the pandemic successful nursing homes.

At 1 point, Zohran Mamdani, a antiauthoritarian socialist authorities lawmaker who has emerged arsenic 1 of the starring candidates successful the race, pressed Cuomo connected the overlap betwixt the erstwhile governor's governmental donors and those who donated to Republican President Donald Trump.

“The quality betwixt myself and Andrew Cuomo is that my run is not funded by the precise billionaires who enactment Donald Trump successful D.C.,” Mamdani said, calling himself “Donald Trump's worst nightmare.”

Weathering the onslaught, Cuomo started flicking retired his ain jabs.

“Mr. Mamdani is precise bully connected Twitter, with videos, but helium really produces nothing,” Cuomo said. “Donald Trump would spell done Mr. Mamdani similar a blistery weapon done butter. He's been successful authorities 27 minutes, he's passed 3 bills. That's each he's done."

The pile-on came aft Cuomo, who has led each canvass since entering the race, has avoided his opponents successful public, giving them virtually nary opportunities to conscionable him face-to-face.

That each changed Wednesday night.

The erstwhile governor's opponents had him successful their sights passim the debate, moving successful criticisms of Cuomo successful their responses to questions oregon interjecting astatine points to get successful different speedy excavation astatine the erstwhile politician of New York. The transverse speech was dense connected a signifier that hosted 9 candidates.

In 1 exchange, Cuomo deflected connected a question astir whether helium had immoderate regrets from his clip successful politics, saying that if helium regretted anything, it was “that the Democratic Party got to a constituent that we allowed Mr. Trump to beryllium elected, that we got to a constituent wherever rhetoric has nary transportation to reality.”

The different candidates pounced.

Adrienne Adams, the talker of the New York City Council, spoke up, asking Cuomo if helium had regrets astir his grounds connected wellness care, kid attraction and more.

“Really, nary regrets,” she said arsenic she shook her caput astatine Cuomo.

As Cuomo moved to respond, Jessica Ramos, a authorities senator, tried to get a constituent in, but was drowned retired by a moderator who directed the erstwhile politician to reply Adams' critique.

“It is conscionable not accurate,” Cuomo said.

Incumbent Mayor Eric Adams, a Democrat who pulled retired of the superior to alternatively tally for a 2nd word connected an autarkic ballot line, did not enactment successful the debate.

Cuomo had been considered 1 of the Democratic Party's rising stars earlier his melodramatic downfall successful 2021 pursuing a intersexual harassment scandal.

The erstwhile politician has said helium did not intentionally mistreat the women and had fallen retired of measurement with what was considered due workplace conduct, though his lawyers and consultants person worked to discredit his accusers. Cuomo repeated a akin refrain connected Wednesday during the debate.

In his comeback tally for mayor, Cuomo has faced renewed scrutiny astir his decisions during the COVID-19 pandemic and is under investigation by the Justice Department implicit whether helium lied to Congress astir however helium handled the microorganism arsenic it dispersed done nursing homes.

During the debate, moderators tried to pin Cuomo down connected the truthfulness of his legislature grounds astir a authorities study connected nursing location deaths during the pandemic, but helium sidestepped the question.

“I was precise alert of the report,” helium said, drafting a laughter from 1 of the different candidates.

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Izaguirre reported from Albany, New York.